Flame tank (Tiberium Wars)
The third-generation Flame Tank was a Nod anti-infantry and anti-structure vehicle introduced after the Firestorm Crisis, used until the Incursion War. Design This generation of the tank is a return to the roots, featuring a four-treaded chassis with a turreted main canopy. The vehicle boasts substantial armour plating, as well as an improved version of its predecessor's napalm launchers. Its fuel tanks are also hardened and plated, limiting the risk of additional discharge. The Flame tank can incinerate infantry with ease and clear out garrisoned buildings effortlessly. Its weaknesses include the lack of an effective weapon against heavy armour and its inability to combat aircraft, but its intense flames are a significant threat to lightly armoured vehicles, such as Guardian APCs or Pitbulls. Deployment history The Black Hand deployed the new tank far and wide, often upgraded with their exclusive Purifying Flame technology, and crewed with Veteran pilots. Nod Avatar pilots noticed how effective the flamethrowers were and oftentimes took the liberty of adding it to their arsenal, usually without kindly asking first. The Flame Tank's first use was with the Black Hand, as part of Brother Marcion's guards. Following the reabsorption of the Black Hand into the Brotherhood, the Flame Tank has seen service in every battle since 2034. It was used to great effect during the Battle of Washington DC, where they proved invaluable at clearing GDI soldiers out of garrisoned buildings. The Marked of Kane did not utilize the Flame Tank. Legacy After the end of the Third Tiberium War, GDI developed a new type of Zone Armor for its infantry that can withstand the Third Generation Flame Tank's scorching flames. To counter this, the design was modified by Nod Separatists during the Incursion War - overhauling the design with even stronger armor, and a far more potent flame discharge—able to once more endanger contemporary infantries. The new design: the AT-6 Flame Tank, effectively retired the obsolete Third Generation Flame Tank. Upgrades In-game unit Flame Tanks are highly effective as anti-infantry and anti-structure units. They also do significant damage to lightly armored vehicles - enough to be efficient at countering them. They are among the faster heavy vehicles on the field, being able to quickly get within firing range of a target—which helps negate their disadvantage of having a less than average attack range. Their flamethrowers allow them to clear garrisoned structures, and are themselves quite sturdy. This, combined with their speed, makes them excellent at close-ranged urban combat. If a group of flame tanks get into the core of a base, they will likely cause severe damage in a very short period of time. Groups of them attacking in tandem are effective at overwhelming base defenses, and can be deadly at ambushes and hit-and-run attacks if the Cloaking Field power is used on them. The key disadvantage of the flame tank is its very high vulnerability to anti-armor fire from anti-tank base defense turrets and other vehicles. Rocket launcher-toting anti-tank infantry can do some damage to them, but not as noticeably or efficiently as cannon equipped units—such as main battle tanks, Tier-3 heavy units and Zone Troopers (who themselves, are vulnerable to the flamethrowers—but not as much as most other infantry). In Kane's Wrath the Black Hand subfaction can upgrade Flame Tanks with Purifying Flame, which gives a tremendous boost to damage. Black Hand Flame Tanks also start at Veteran status, giving them actual values of 1104 (Grenade) damage per second along with a starting health of 4440. Black Hand Flame Tanks with Purifying Flame actually do 3136 (Grenade) damage per second - capable of incinerating undefended bases in seconds. Assessment Pros * Extremely useful against infantry (garrisoned or not) * Unrivalled damage potential against structures * Purifying flame upgrade increases its damage even further - burning down entire bases in seconds * Decent speed * Decent protection against rockets * Relatively cheap and available at tier 2 * Flamethrower can be used by Avatar warmechs * Explodes violently when destroyed * Black Hand have access to veteran status flame tanks immediately * Dangerous against all but the most heavily armored vehicles * Can destroy any base defense easily if within range * Gains veterancy quickly, especially when destroying buildings * Does Splash damage * Can level even Construction Yards or Superweapons within very few seconds Cons * Vulnerable to cannons, railguns and lasers, as well as air raids * Short weapon range * Very weak backside * Weak against heavily armored vehicles unless equipped with the Purifying flame upgrade * Purifying flame upgrade is available only to the Black Hand sub-faction * Tier 3 base defenses can make short work of them * No defense against air units * Not available to the Marked of Kane * In Tiberium Wars, can cause devastating friendly fire * Explosion on death can damage friendly units Quotes Creation *''The flames will rise!'' Select *''We must share this gift!'' *''I see the glow!'' *''Ashes will fall!'' *''Everything is prepared!'' *''We are ready!'' *''Cleansing fire!'' *''Flame tank!'' *''The tides will not yield.'' *''Guard the tank well!'' *''None can stop us!'' Moving *''Steady now...'' *''Take it slow!'' *''When do we start?'' *''We will wait!'' *''Keep it safe!'' *''The fuel hungers...'' Attacking *''Leave them in ashes!'' *''Yes, it's time!'' *''Release the glory!'' *''To cinders!'' *''Everything will burn!'' Clearing Garrisoned Structure *''Burn 'em out!'' *''It must be purified!'' *''Purge them with flame!'' Move to Attack *''Enclose upon them!'' *''No one escapes the heat!'' *''There!'' *''Ah... the wait has ended!'' *''We must get closer!'' *''Our enemies will be vanquished!'' In combat *''Embrace your destiny!!'' *''Yes! YES!!'' *''Burn! BURN!!'' *''It's beautiful...!'' *''Look at the flames!'' *''Feel the power of the heat!'' *''Respect the flame!'' * Do not toy with the power of the flame! Retreating *''Deliver us!'' *''Protect the fuel!'' Trivia *The Flame Tank behavior is very similar to Nod Harvester. The operator treats the fire in a very religious way and pays huge respect to it, the way harvester does the same to tiberium. It could be proven by such replies, as: "We must share this gift!", "Release the glory!", "Embrace your destiny!!". And "Respect the flame" is self-explanatory. *It resembles the old TWI Flame tank - the only difference is it can burn enemy infantry out of buildings, has heavier armour and a fully rotating turret. *The Purifying Flame-upgraded Flame Tank has a detail changed in its turret target acquisition, resulting in massively lowered damage-per-second while targeting structures. To get around this, force-fire on the ground near the target structure in order to receive the full bonus. The turret bug causes the actual damage increase from Purifying Flame to be approximately a 150% bonus instead of the projected 185% damage increase. Gallery CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 6.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art - schematic New Flame nTank.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 5.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 3.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 4.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 1.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 2.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 7.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW Flame Tank Concept Art 8.jpg|Feng Zhu concept art CNCTW_Flame_Tank.jpg|Closeup Nod units Kane Edition.jpg|Kane Edition skin See also: Dragon Tank- Generals equivalent Videos File:Kane%27s_Wrath_-_Flame_Tank%27s_quotes|Flame tank quotes Category:Tiberium Wars Nod Arsenal Category:Tiberium Wars vehicles